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Neyedli Surprises, Gossage Does the UK Double

Brits Scott Neyedli and Lucy Gossage take winning-streak wins on home turf at IRONMAN Wales.

by Emma Bishop

Braving the rain and basking in late afternoon sunshine the Welsh town of Tenby embraced, celebrated, and cheered on athletes taking on the savage yet beautiful Welsh countryside. Crowds along the bike course inspired and drove athletes on in wet and slippery conditions as they conquered Saundersfoot—the Welsh ‘heartbreak’ hill—and skirted around Carew castle, St. Bride Hill and Wiseman’s Bridge.

Neyedli's comeback year

The men’s race focused around a group of five. Harry Wiltshire (GBR) led out of the swim followed by Marek Jaskolka (POL), Fraser Cartmell (GBR), Scott Neyedli (GBR) and Ivan Tejero (ESP). Jaskolka took the lead from Neyedli, Wiltshire and Cartmell at 38 km and continued to ride off the front with the three Brits following close in pursuit. The break came after 107 km when Cartmell and Wiltshire suffered bike issues, allowing Jaskolka and Neyedli to bridge a gap.

On the final approach into transition Neyedli managed to pull away from Jaskolka and headed out onto the run with Jaskcolka chasing a 4:19 deficit. It looked as if Neyedli was going to be caught early on by the Pole and a fast running Michael Gohner (GER) but as the final kilometers ticked by Neyedli dug deep, pulled away, and took the win.

A full-time applications engineer, Neyedli is on something of a comeback year. The 35-year-old semi retired Scottish pro raced IRONMAN UK last month as well.

"Lucy (Gossage) encouraged me to do this race. I really don’t know where it (this win) came from. I do know it is the best feeling in the world and that this was definitely the hardest IRONMAN I have done. Going up or down, it was hard."

Gossage on a winning streak as well

Switzerland’s Simone Brandli was first out of the water followed by Katja Konschak (GER), Julia Gajer (GER) and Natalie Barnard (GBR). Gajer took an early lead and was pursued by defending champion Regula Rohrbach (SUI). Rohrbach took the lead after 58km and it looked as if the monster biker was heading to repeat her 2012 race. But Lucy Gossage (GBR) wasn’t following the plan.

Gossage took her first major win five weeks ago at IRONMAN UK in Bolton, England. The 31-year-old came to Tenby confident after her maiden win but was under no illusion that challenge ahead was going to be no walk in the park. In tricky bike conditions Gossage took the lead at 107 km and never looked back. Coming into transition with a five-minute lead from Rohrbach who had suffered a puncture, the ecstatic Brit pulled away on the run to open up an unassailable lead and cross the line and back up her win for a UK double.

"Seriously that was hands down the best race experience ever. The bike, it was amazing. Going up the (heartbreak) hill I was crying, the support was fantastic."